Dubai Miracle Garden to close for summer in two weeks

Make sure you visit the popular UAE attraction before May 15

Dubai Miracle Garden closes for the season on May 15. Courtesy Dubai Miracle Garden 

"So what's the big deal about Dubai Miracle Garden, anyway?" one might ask. It's a giant, record-breaking, flower-filled, landscaped area full of quirky little features and evidence of mad topiary skills that'll look great on your Instagram. "What's not to love?" we say.

Every year from mid-November to mid-May, the 72,000-square-metre space, which holds about 100 million blooms and 70 flower varieties, is brought to life in a medley of colours and scents. Tourists mill about the landscaped lawns, admiring the gardeners' handiwork, munching on a few snacks from the food stalls, and generally soaking up the chilled-out vibes in perfect weather.

As the mercury in our thermometers inches up, albeit slowly, the time has come for the garden to shut its gates, on May 15. So now there are two weeks left for you to go and see what all the fuss is about.

Here are a few things you'll see along the way:

Mickey Mouse

Dubai Miracle Garden struck a new licensing deal with The Walt Disney Company for last season, and so created an 18-metre-high Mickey Mouse floral structure, the first of its kind in the Middle East. It earned the Guinness World Record for world's largest topiary structure in February 2018. It includes almost 100,000 plants and flowers and weighs 35 tonnes.

You can still spot it in all its glory this year, and it's joined by some of Mickey's friends, such as Pluto and a few of the ducks.

The Emirates plane

Without a doubt, this is one of the biggest reasons to go to Dubai Miracle Garden. The life-sized replica of an Emirates A380 became the world's largest floral installation when it was revealed in 2016. It's still as majestic today.

The teddy bear

Standing 12 metres tall, the teddy bear structure is made up of thousands of fresh plants and flowers, and is one of the park's newest attractions. It's holding a heart, which the team says is to spread the message of "love and harmony".

The lake park

A water feature is a central attraction at Dubai Miracle Garden, offering a great spot to sit and reflect. Flowers are in abundance around its edges, as are a few faux elephants, which stand proudly in the middle of the lake.

The heart passage

If there's ever been a better backdrop for a photo opp, then we haven't seen it. The multi-coloured heart-shaped arches surrounded by foliage-strewn palm trees provide a fantastic frame for envy-inducing selfies. There's also a brightly coloured umbrella passage to wander under and snap a couple more brilliant selfies.

The clock

It's 15 metres wide and tells the time, and yet it's made of foliage and flowers. The floral designs change with the season, thanks to the garden's own in-house landscaping company. The mechanical parts were shipped in from the US.

Other stuff

On top of all that, you'll also find plenty of food stalls, an amphitheatre, trampoline park and a range of events throughout the season, such as a flower parade and fitness activities.

It costs Dh50 for adults and Dh40 for children to enter. It's free for people with disabilities and children under the age of two.

You can also pair it with a visit to the nearby Dubai Butterfly Garden, which is another must-see in the emirate.

Check out the official website for more details.